(No wonder Comteq was selected as the only educational institution that was selected by the Philippine Daily Inquirer for its mentoring program. Click this link and then this linkfor the articles.)How much salary were they offered? Well, if you were a software firm desperate for great artists (and can’t find a single qualified person from the present labor pool), how much would you pay?

And get this, all five will be allowed to continue their studies!

For IDESS Interactive, it pays to pay well. For the students, choosing the right college offering the right programs, paid huge dividends well before graduation.

How big a deal is it for graduates to be recruited off the college campus? Ask an employed friend how long it took them to land a job. Let's experiment and agree that the first one you ask is the average for the Freeeport. So, how long did it took you friend to find a job?

The Commission on Higher Education(CHED) started a nationwide tracer study for degree holders nationwide. The study also aims to find out how long the graduates looked for a job. But it ain't complete yet.

So I did a crude research. Just to get an idea. I talked to nine (9) employees I knew and here it is the result. Three (3) people said they found a job 1.5 years after gradaution. Four (4) said it took them more than two (2) years, while the other two said more than two years.

So here are some tips for those who are planning to take up a degree course this coming academic year 2009.

1.) For the High School graduates and their parentsA.) Think about what you are passionate about, choose the right program, and enroll as soon as you can. Some Freeport schools offer limited slots per course to ensure quality education.B.) Check out the websites, ask around, and visit the campuses. Inspect the facilities but more importantly, check out the faculty line-up. Here is the list of schools inside the Freeport.

2.) For the EmployersA.) Go to the colleges, and get the best.B.) Talk to the schools like IDESS did. Check this employee selection formula. FREE two to four years skills and knowledge assessment by college officials + character evaluation from faculty members + your recruitment process. How could you go wrong?C.) Pay better that the rest.

3.) To the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)

Get involved in your family’s choices. Who better to guide them that you?